Mothers, Daughters Needed for Stanford Study of Panic Disorder

A study led by a Stanford University School of Medicine researcher is aimed at identifying possible methods of preventing panic disorder from being passed from mother to daughter.

The study, led by Kimberly Wilson, PhD, instructor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences, will examine physical symptoms and thought patterns of daughters whose mothers have panic disorder. The work could help determine who is most likely to develop panic disorder and where prevention programs might intervene.

“I often treat women with panic disorder who are worried that their children will suffer from the same problem,” said Wilson, who is seeking mothers and their teenage daughters to volunteer for her study. “It’s a reasonable concern, and we’re hoping this study will identify the most important risk factors and help eventually break the chain.”

Panic disorder is marked by unpredictable attacks of anxiety accompanied by physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness and trembling. Wilson said the feelings that accompany an attack — including a sufferer’s feeling that she is losing control — are often more frightening than the physical symptoms themselves.

“Panic disorder is more than just experiencing panic attacks — it’s the fear of panic attacks that is key,” explained Wilson. “When people with panic disorder notice a normal fluctuation in their heart rate, for example, they get scared. Ironically, that makes their heart beat even faster, which makes them feel more afraid, and so on. It can lead to a terrifying spiral.”

The exact cause of panic disorder, which affects 5 percent of the population, is unknown. But there is a strong family component: Wilson said the prevalence of the disorder among individuals who have a family member with the disorder is more than five times greater than those with no family history. Researchers believe some aspects of the disorder are learned — for instance, if a mother demonstrates fearful behavior in certain situations, her daughter may eventually exhibit the behavior.

Although twice as many women as men are afflicted with panic disorder, there has been little research on mothers and daughters. Three years ago, Wilson launched a pilot study to help identify factors that make daughters of women with panic disorder more likely to develop the disorder themselves. Based on her preliminary findings, she decided to expand the study.

The current trial will involve 200 mothers — 100 with panic disorder, 100 without — and their teenage daughters. During the study, Wilson will evaluate the girls’ sensitivity to panic symptoms and response to situations they perceive as threatening. She will compare the thought patterns of the at-risk daughters with those of the girls who have no family history of panic disorder.

Wilson is recruiting women with and without panic disorder along with their daughters, ages 9 to 14. Volunteers will be compensated for their participation in two 1.5-hour visits, which will include interviews, questionnaires and a computer test. Interested volunteers should call (650) 725-5584 or visit http://moms.stanford.edu.

Wilson’s collaborator on the study is Chris Hayward, MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences. The National Institute of Mental Health is funding the study.

Stanford University Medical Center integrates research, medical education and patient care at its three institutions — Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford. For more information, please visit the Web site of the medical center’s Office of Communication & Public Affairs at http://mednews.stanford.edu.